Jan/Feb 1974

... If you have a choice out of hundreds and more hundreds of

great songs, and you go for sh*t , sung by Olivia, than the pills

surely had done their destructive work! Bummer!

This is the list of the top 100 songs of 1974, it wasn't really a banner year in music, unless you would have preferred he sang Seasons in the Sun by Terry Jacks! Perhaps Midnight at the Oasis or maybe Benny and the Jets!
It didn't matter what he sang in the seventies Ger, you would find a reason to hate it. Your bias against this decade has clouded your thinking.

1. The Way We Were, Barbra Streisand
2. Seasons In The Sun, Terry Jacks
3. Love's Theme, Love Unlimited Orchestra
4. Come And Get Your Love, Redbone
5. Dancing Machine, Jackson 5
6. The Loco-Motion, Grand Funk Railroad
7. TSOP, MFSB
8. The Streak, Ray Stevens
9. Bennie And The Jets, Elton John
10. One Hell Of A Woman, Mac Davis
11. Until You Come Back To Me (That's What I'm Gonna Do), Aretha Franklin
12. Jungle Boogie, Kool and The Gang
13. Midnight At The Oasis, Maria Muldaur
14. You Make Me Feel Brand New, Stylistics
15. Show And Tell, Al Wilson
16. Spiders And Snakes, Jim Stafford
17. Rock On, David Essex
18. Sunshine On My Shoulder, John Denver
19. Sideshow, Blue Magic
20. Hooked On A Feeling, Blue Swede
21. Billy Don't Be A Hero, Bo Donaldson and The Heywoods
22. Band On The Run, Paul McCartney and Wings
23. The Most Beautiful Girl, Charlie Rich
24. Time In A Bottle, Jim Croce
25. Annie's Song, John Denver
26. Let Me Be There, Olivia Newton-John
27. Sundown, Gordon Lightfoot
28. (You're) Having My Baby, Paul Anka
29. Rock Me Gently, Andy Kim
30. Boogie Down, Eddie Kendricks
31. You're Sixteen, Ringo Starr
32. If You Love Me (Let Me Know), Olivia Newton-John
33. Dark Lady, Cher
34. Best Thing That Ever Happened To Me, Gladys Knight and The Pips
35. Feel Like Makin' Love, Roberta Flack
36. Just Dont Want To Be Lonely, Main Ingredient
37. Nothing From Nothing, Billy Preston
38. Rock Your Baby, George McCrae
39. Top Of The World, Carpenters
40. The Joker, Steve Miller Band
41. I've Got To Use My Imagination, Gladys Knight and The Pips
42. The Show Must Go On, Three Dog Night
43. Rock The Boat, Hues Corporation
44. Smokin' In The Boys Room, Brownsville Station
45. Living For The City, Stevie Wonder
46. The Night Chicago Died, Paper Lace
47. Then Came You, Dionne Warwick and The Spinners
48. The Entertainer, Marvin Hamlisch
49. Waterloo, Abba
50. The Air That I Breathe, Hollies
51. Rikki Don't Lose That Number, Steely Dan
52. Mockingbird, Carly Simon
53. Help Me, Joni Mitchell
54. You Won't See Me, Anne Murray
55. Never, Never Gonna Give You Up, Barry White
56. Tell Me Something Good, Rufus
57. You And Me Against The World, Helen Reddy
58. Rock And Roll Heaven, Righteous Brothers
59. Hollywood Swinging, Kool and The Gang
60. Be Thankful For What You Got, William Devaughn
61. Hang On In There Baby, Johnny Bristol
62. Eres Tu (Touch The Wind), Mocedades
63. Taking Care Of Business, Bachman-Turner Overdrive
64. Radar Love, Golden Earring
65. Please Come To Boston, Dave Loggins
66. Keep On Smilin', Wet Willie
67. Lookin' For Love, Bobby Womack
68. Put Your Hands Together, O'Jays
69. On And On, Gladys Knight and The Pips
70. Oh Very Young, Cat Stevens
71. Leave Me Alone (Ruby Red Dress), Helen Reddy
72. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, Elton John
73. I've Been Searchin' So Long, Chicago
74. Oh My My, Ringo Starr
75. For The Love Of Money, O'Jays
76. I Shot The Sherrif, Eric Clapton
77. Jet, Paul McCartney and Wings
78. Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me, Elton John
79. Tubular Bells, Mike Oldfield
80. Love Song, Anne Murray
81. I'm Leaving It All Up To You, Donny and Marie Osmond
82. Hello, It's Me, Todd Rundgren
83. I Love, Tom T. Hall
84. Clap For The Wolfman, The Guess Who
85. I'll Have To Say I Love You In A Song, Jim Croce
85. The Lord's Prayer, Sister Janet Mead
87. Trying To Hold On To My Woman, Lamont Dozier
88. Don't You Worry 'Bout A Thing, Stevie Wonder
89. A Very Special Love Song, Charlie Rich
90. My Girl Bill, Jim Stafford
91. My Mistake Was To Love You, Diana Ross and Marvin Gaye
91. Helen Wheels, Paul McCartney and Wings
93. Wildwood Weed, Jim Stafford
94. Beach Baby, First Class
95. Me And Baby Brother, War
96. Rockin' Roll Baby, Stylistics
97. I Honestly Love You, Olivia Newton-John
98. Call On Me, Chicago
99. Wild Thing, Fancy
100. Mighty Love, Pt. 1, Spinners

He also sang Good Time Charlie`s Got The Blues but Elvis version is by far better..really..

Dat is true. But Charlie did "Spanish Eyes" far better than Elvis did. Charlie is one of my favourites. Anyone who like Elvis' 70s ballads should give Charlie Rich's albums from that same decade a chance. What a brilliant singer.

For the record, I enjoy both Newton-John songs Elvis did. (I have never heard the original verisons.)

Keith Richards, Jr.

Olivia's 1970s pop hits aren't terrible by any honest measure, they're just a little lightweight for someone as talented as Elvis Presley.

And by the 70s, Elvis Presley was of much the same opinion with regards his 50s hits.....a little lightweight.

Given that Elvis didn't have 30 years of hindsight and the fact that he didn't get his set list from the pages of Rolling Stone magazine but instead chose his own personal favourites, then I am loath to criticise the man.

Thanks for that list Joe. Very enlightening.

Larry Dickman wrote:

Given that Elvis didn't have 30 years of hindsight and the fact that he didn't get his set list from the pages of Rolling Stone magazine but instead chose his own personal favourites, then I am loath to criticise the man.

Got to agree with this completely. It sems that some fans just don't get this and wanted Elvis too stay a 21 year old Hillbilly Cat singing nothing but Rock songs.

That is just not what the man was about. If they don't get that they don't get Elvis!

Andy

I'll tell you one thing, I like Let Me be There a lot more then most of the crap on that list.

.... I wasnt talking about the charts from 74, lovely bunch that

you are... I was talking real music, made by numerous greats from

the 40s to the 60s! Sweaty black R&B cats, not the frikkin ONJ & co

crap that poluted the charts. But had he chosen Radar Love, from 74,

by Dutch rockers Golden Earring, you would not have heard me

complain! And Joe, JB a.o , it would be nice if you would stop accusing

me from putting Elvis in the 70s down. He recorded a lot of middle

of the road pap, in those years, and I have the full freedom to say

what I please. Enough silly fans who love everything he did on this

mb... A bit of a*s kickin is much needed here, now and then.

.... I wasnt talking about the charts from 74, lovely bunch that

you are... I was talking real music, made by numerous greats from

the 40s to the 60s! Sweaty black R&B cats, not the frikkin ONJ & co

crap that poluted the charts. But had he chosen Radar Love, from 74,

by Dutch rockers Golden Earring, you would not have heard me

complain! And Joe, JB a.o , it would be nice if you would stop accusing

me from putting Elvis in the 70s down. He recorded a lot of middle

of the road pap, in those years, and I have the full freedom to say

what I please. Enough silly fans who love everything he did on this

mb... A bit of a*s kickin is much needed here, now and then.

Why didn't you say that in your post. You made it sound like you were specifically talking about the year LMBT came out. Yes you can say what you please, so can I. The fact remains, your posts about EP in the seventies are 99% negative, whether you admit to it or not. Ask anybody on this site, they will tell you the same thing. Perhaps you need to take the rose-colored glasses off when talking about yourself.

Let's just be thankful that Elvis didn't choose to cover "Rock Me Gently" or "The Way We Were" from that list of songs.

Not a particualrly grand year for music, at least charts wise.

And, stop picking on Ger - he is pretty consistent with his opinion on Elvis' 70s work compared to the 1950s. Personally, there are certain things from Elvis 70s catalouge that I just don't care for, whereas I love nearly everything Elvis did in the 1950s.

Charlie is one of my favourites.

For the record, I enjoy both Newton-John songs Elvis did. (I have never heard the original verisons.)

Keith Richards, Jr.

I like Charlie Rich ...too..

I also like Olivia`s originals....more country styled..

.... I wasnt talking about the charts from 74, lovely bunch that

you are... I was talking real music, made by numerous greats from

the 40s to the 60s! Sweaty black R&B cats, not the frikkin ONJ & co

crap that poluted the charts. But had he chosen Radar Love, from 74,

by Dutch rockers Golden Earring, you would not have heard me

complain! And Joe, JB a.o , it would be nice if you would stop accusing

me from putting Elvis in the 70s down. He recorded a lot of middle

of the road pap, in those years, and I have the full freedom to say

what I please. Enough silly fans who love everything he did on this

mb... A bit of a*s kickin is much needed here, now and then.

That ONJ crap was what Elvis wanted to sing - this wasn't a studio session with a list of songs from Elvis' publishing company, songs like 'If You Love Me' and 'Let Me Be There' were recorded live.

If Elvis had preferred 'Radar Love' he would have performed this - don't you get that it comes down to his personal taste.

Now if you don't agree with that and to call it 'pap' is again only your opinion. Many will disagree and many will prefer Elvis '70's work to his '50's catalogue as I do.

I don't know of any fans who love EVERYTHING the man did but if any a*s kickin' is to be done step in line and take what you are tryin' to give out.

Andy

... Joe, you have had a disliking for me since day one, when I

started posting here. Maybe you should start a poll to find out if

the majority here agrees with you. maybe youre right after all?

Maybe Im nothin more than a lefty, 70s hating fan, whos not

contributed anything to this mb in the year and a half since I stuck

my nose in your beautiful Elvis world? Go for it, Joe.

But before you do, please list some of your contributions here

on this mb. You can slam mine, bud. But exactly what memorable

posts here, carried your signature?

I'd like Elvis to have covered these:


The Way We Were
Seasons In The Sun
The Most Beautiful Girl
Best Thing That Ever Happened To Me


If he liked the "story" behind Softly, I bet he would have loved Seasons In The Sun!!!!

... Joe, you have had a disliking for me since day one, when I

started posting here. Maybe you should start a poll to find out if

the majority here agrees with you. maybe youre right after all?

Maybe Im nothin more than a lefty, 70s hating fan, whos not

contributed anything to this mb in the year and a half since I stuck

my nose in your beautiful Elvis world? Go for it, Joe.

But before you do, please list some of your contributions here

on this mb. You can slam mine, bud. But exactly what memorable

posts here, carried your signature?

I haven't said you never contributed anything, and I didn't say I dislike you. I said you have unfair bias towards hating EP seventies work. Don't let me do a poll about this because if I do, you'll be in for a wake up call. And just for the record, I do contribute, everyday, though my knowledge about EP is not as extensive as everybodies. I don't consider bashing Elvis such as you do memorable posts. You wrote and created some good books in the past, but that's the past my friend and it doesn't give you a right to snub your nose at people on these sites because of who you are.
Personally, I wouldn't spend one cent on your work because of your attitude.

This is the list of the top 100 songs of 1974, it wasn't really a banner year in music, unless you would have preferred he sang Seasons in the Sun by Terry Jacks ...

Hey, that's the late, great Link Wray playing the monster guitar riff on that #1 hit!

Many of these are excellent, and I have great personal affection for this whole period. Note: a careful reader will see that several of these hits were issued in 1973 or earlier, but must've held sway on the charts and at the record stores into 1974.

The list also represents the tail end of an era in radio where one could hear rock, pop, novelty, R&B, country and urban genres together on ONE AM radio station. About 20 years ago it was decided that the radio audience was best served with segregated programming, to better target a particular demographic. Bye-bye, radio.

Olivia's 1970s pop hits aren't terrible by any honest measure, they're just a little lightweight for someone as talented as Elvis Presley.

And by the 70s, Elvis Presley was of much the same opinion with [sic] regards [sic] his 50s hits.....a little lightweight ... I am loath [sic] to criticise the man.

Yes, about as loathe as your are to exercise any critical thought whatsoever.

Anyway, the point is not how Elvis should've chosen something else from the 1974 pop charts, but that he should've focused on his own fantastic catalog, not to mention any new recordings of quality.

Olivia's 1970s pop hits aren't terrible by any honest measure, they're just a little lightweight for someone as talented as Elvis Presley.

And by the 70s, Elvis Presley was of much the same opinion with [sic] regards [sic] his 50s hits.....a little lightweight ... I am loath [sic] to criticise the man.

Yes, about as loathe as your are to exercise any critical thought whatsoever.

Incorrect John Boy.....use the search facility on this MB and you will find a few examples....with particular regard to some of Elvis' cinematic work.

You on the other hand are far to free with your critical opinions of both the man Elvis Presley and his body of work.....considering you never met, nor saw the man perform live.

PS, for a Doctor, you seem to be 'sic' an awful lot.......

NURSE!!!!

Incorrect ... use the search facility on this MB and you will find a few examples ...

Very few. I ain't about to search for a needle in a haystack.

You on the other hand [sic] are far to [sic] free with your critical opinions of both the man Elvis Presley and his body of work.....considering you never met, nor saw the man perform live.

And, as everyone knows, those are obviously the main criteria in order for a person to make critical commentary ... everyone, that is, who's a moron.

You should check out "Chat-Talk" -- that's your kind of place.

To be fair to Elvis he had recorded many lightweight and or melodramatic songs and made them matter with his singing. I don't think he accomplishes that with the Newton John songs but he at least made them listenable. I enjoy them when they're on but if I never heard them again, I wouldn't really miss 'em.

I do agree with Ger though that for most of the 1970s Olivia was pretty much the pits. I think in some way Elvis himself realized her stuff wasn't up to snuff and his enjoyment was more of a guilty pleasure. As Ernst pointed out that Elvis felt the need to defend them as "happy songs". I have no problem with Elvis having guilty pleasures.

Looking at the list of the Top 100 songs from 1974 it's easy to see why Elvis was having a little difficulty breaking out from his cult into the mainstream. It's not that there are not good songs on the list but many of those songs are not especially suited to Elvis.

"Best Thing That Ever Happened To Me" works a lot better for a woman to my ears. For a guy I think it would be a little cloying but for a woman I think it catches the right note of vulnerability. Even so it needed Gladys Knight absolutely tearing up the place to work. A track like the falsetto soul of Blue Magic's "Sideshow" is also not up Elvis' alley nor are disco tracks like George McCrae's gorgeous "Rock Your Baby". Something like "For the Love of My Money" is also not up Elvis' alley either as its more producer music than singer music. It's quality work but not suited to Elvis despite his absolutely massive range. Not that there's not a fair amount of crap like the Cher or Jim Stafford songs but Elvis' style was not the style of the day.

Even a piece like Elvis' stunning "Loving Arms" would seem out of place in this crowd or the even more brilliant "Promised Land". One of the reasons "Promised Land" gets skipped over on 1970s nostalgia stations despite the fact that it was a decent sized hit is that it doesn't sound like the hits of that day. It doesn't necessarily sound 50s but it sounds out of place amongst some of the hits on that Top 100 list.

BTW- You talk about a waste of talent- Link Wray squandering his ability on the manipulative sing-songey "Seasons in the Sun" is as bad as anything Elvis ever did.

Quote: For the record, I enjoy both Newton-John songs Elvis did. (I have never heard the original verisons.)

******************************

Me too. In fact I don't care for most of Olivia's earlier country work. I prefer her pop stuff.

Let's face it. Yes Elvis should have changed his concert set list a little more often, but he sang what he liked.

He liked doing those Olivia songs, but why was he still doing them in 1977? by that I mean "if you love me".

He supposedly rehearsed "wear my ring around you neck" in 1975.
One of my all-time favs, and yes it would have been great to hear him try it in concert. Or "tomorrow night" which he apparently rehearsed as well.

He did go back to his catalog, but not often enough.

You hear an occasional, 'return to sender', or 'such a night', but not very often. I would have rather heard, "young and beautiful" as his 3rd song, and leave "love me" off the list. He walked thru it way too often after 1972-.

In defense of Ger, he went to, by my memory, concerts of our man in the years 75 and 76 in Las Vegas, and also attended the last one in Indianapolis. He absolutely loves the man from the 50s, because he was an originator. By the 70s, he was a follower and a parody of his old self, according to him. But hey, if i saw the concert he saw in Vegas 76, and had studied the man his whole career, maybe i'd feel just a bit let down too.

Still Ger, as much as you despise the 70s Elvis, you cannot deny the strength and passion in the songs he really cared for. Especially the last concert in Indy, which was an excellent one to attend if i had the chance to back then.

I'll let you have the final say Ger.

... Just because I favour the 50s and early 60s Elvis, does not

mean I "despise" his 70s work. Although by now, thanks to

certain people on this mb, I have it stamped all over me...

... I dont have that kind of pop music in my collection.

For what it's worth Ger I love your stuff although I disagree with you from time to time. I appreciate your efforts to express a nuanced view on Elvis' music.

Incorrect ... use the search facility on this MB and you will find a few examples ...

Very few. I ain't (sic) about to search for a needle in a haystack.

Then you concede they are there.

You on the other hand [sic] are far to [sic] free with your critical opinions of both the man Elvis Presley and his body of work.....considering you never met, nor saw the man perform live.

And, as everyone knows, those are obviously the main criteria in order for a person to make critical commentary ... everyone, that is, who's a moron.
Never said it was the main criteria, but it certainly gives the critic a bit more credibility........
You should check out "Chat-Talk" -- that's your kind of place.

.... But Charlie did "Spanish Eyes" far better than Elvis did.

Just how Elvis managed to sing Spanish Eyes and leave out the 'prettiest eyes in all of Mexico' line, I don't know !

He includes it on all the 'informal' versions we've had !

Just how Elvis managed to sing Spanish Eyes and leave out the 'prettiest eyes in all of Mexico' line, I don't know !

He includes it on all the 'informal' versions we've had !

You are right, it is unfathomable why he would miss that out!!

It is one of my greatest Elvis bugbears that he missed out key lines/verses in quite a few '70's ballads, especially this one, Solitaire and He'll Have To Go (as discussed in a recent thread).